Koto 4

The koto is a heterochord partial tube zither with an arched
top and hollowed body with back. There are two small oval
soundholes bound with rosewood. The koto is usually made of
kiri (paulownia) wood. It has thirteen silk strings,
although today strings are usually made of tetron. The
strings are of equal length and thickness, and are stretched
with equal tension over fixed bridges placed about ten
centimeters from the right (player’s) side, and about twenty
centimeters from the left side. Ornate silk cloth covers the
left end and protects the wood from friction with the
strings. Strings pass through metal grommets on both sides
of the instrument. There is a detachable brocade cover
(red brocade on this instrument) on the right end. A
detachable, moveable bridge is placed under each string and
can be moved to adjust the tuning. These bridges are always
removed when the instrument is not being played to prevent
stretching of the strings. The instrument is placed on
the floor; the player sits near the right end of the
instrument and plucks the strings just to the left of the
fixed bridge with three ivory plectra attached to the thumb,
index and middle fingers of the right hand with animal skin
rings. The left hand is used to alter the pitch of the
strings by pressing down on the strings to the left of the
moveable bridges.The koto is played solo and in the
sankyoku ensemble. The performer often sings while playing.
Koto players almost always learn the shamisen as well (both
are instruments of the sankyoku ensemble).Accessories
for the four kotos in our collection include the following:
1 set of 13 wood and ivory bridges; 1 set of 14 ivory
bridges; 2 sets of 13 and 15 plastic bridges; 13 sets of
tome (string stoppers); 5 sets of strings (nylon and
tetron); 3 pair ashi (detachable legs); string repair kit; 2
complete tsume; 15 wa (plectrum rings); performance stand
(middle piece missing). All bridge sets in boxes. All these
accessories in closet on right in room 58. This koto is
wrapped in a red and white cover. This instrument has
several gouges on the top of the soundboard which have been
patched with a red filler.

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The koto is a heterochord partial tube zither with an arched
top and hollowed body with back. There are two small oval
soundholes bound with rosewood. The koto is usually made of
kiri (paulownia) wood. It has thirteen silk strings,
although today strings are usually made of tetron. The
strings are of equal length and thickness, and are stretched
with equal tension over fixed bridges placed about ten
centimeters from the right (player’s) side, and about twenty
centimeters from the left side. Ornate silk cloth covers the
left end and protects the wood from friction with the
strings. Strings pass through metal grommets on both sides
of the instrument. There is a detachable brocade cover
(red brocade on this instrument) on the right end. A
detachable, moveable bridge is placed under each string and
can be moved to adjust the tuning. These bridges are always
removed when the instrument is not being played to prevent
stretching of the strings. The instrument is placed on
the floor; the player sits near the right end of the
instrument and plucks the strings just to the left of the
fixed bridge with three ivory plectra attached to the thumb,
index and middle fingers of the right hand with animal skin
rings. The left hand is used to alter the pitch of the
strings by pressing down on the strings to the left of the
moveable bridges.The koto is played solo and in the
sankyoku ensemble. The performer often sings while playing.
Koto players almost always learn the shamisen as well (both
are instruments of the sankyoku ensemble).Accessories
for the four kotos in our collection include the following:
1 set of 13 wood and ivory bridges; 1 set of 14 ivory
bridges; 2 sets of 13 and 15 plastic bridges; 13 sets of
tome (string stoppers); 5 sets of strings (nylon and
tetron); 3 pair ashi (detachable legs); string repair kit; 2
complete tsume; 15 wa (plectrum rings); performance stand
(middle piece missing). All bridge sets in boxes. All these
accessories in closet on right in room 58. This koto is
wrapped in a red and white cover. This instrument has
several gouges on the top of the soundboard which have been
patched with a red filler.

Dimensions

total length 175.8 cm width of wide end 24.2 cm
width of narrow end 22.5 cmheight of narrow end
9.5 cmheight of middle 11.5 cmheight of wide end
8.2 cm